Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answers by the Lord Warner on 2 December 2004 (WA 20) and 25 May 2005 (WA 9), whether they will now give details of the independent fund which pays for new schemes to address alcohol misuse.

Lord Warner: The Department of Health and the Home Office are considering proposals from the Portman Group on how such a fund could be created and hope to make an announcement in due course.

Aviation Health: Contaminated Air

The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 25 October (WA 167), how they intend to ensure that all contaminated air events are reported when the British Airline Pilots Association survey of contaminated air events conducted in 2002 revealed that more than 90 per cent. of such events were not reported.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The mechanism for the reporting of contaminated air events is well established through the Civil Aviation Authority's mandatory occurrence reporting scheme, the purpose of which is to receive reports of incidents affecting airworthiness. The survey carried out by the British Airline Pilots Association included events that were not safety-related.

Aviation Health: Contaminated Air

The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 19 October (WA 125), why they propose to wait for a review by an expert toxicology committee of the Department of Health before they decide whether to commission their own study into the nature and extent of air contaminated on commercial aircraft rather than to participate in the United States Federal Aviation Authority-funded research into cabin air quality.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The review which the UK Government have commissioned addresses the fundamental question of whether there is evidence of a problem in relation to aircraft cabin air quality. We believe this is a crucial first step. The project funded by the Federal Aviation Authority is a feasibility study of possible measurement techniques and protocols.

Aviation Health: Contaminated Air

The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 1 November (WA 10), why they consider the confidential report prepared for BAe Systems to be scientifically acceptable when it has not been peer-reviewed or published in a scientific journal.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The work carried out by the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA), Pyestock (now QinetiQ) for BAe Systems was a private research contract not intended for publication in a scientific journal. The issue of peer review therefore does not arise. The Civil Aviation Authority, the principal regulator of civil aviation in the UK, had no reason to doubt the scientific acceptability of the report, written by a research institution that is widely acknowledged as the UK's foremost independent expert in aero-engine technology.

Aviation Health: Contaminated Air

The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 1 November (WA 9), whether it is normal practice for aircrew involved in contaminated air events to be contacted by either the Civil Aviation Authority or the Air Accident Investigation Board in all of the reports that are investigated.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The investigations carried out by the Civil Aviation Authority following a significant fume event are safety-related and will involve contacting the flight crew only if clarification of the report is needed.
	The CAA notifies the Air Accident Investigation Branch if there is a report of fumes or smoke in the cockpit. If the AAIB decides it could have been a significant or serious flight safety incident, it will conduct an investigation, which will include correspondence or an interview with the flight crew.

Basic Skills Qualifications

Baroness Sharp of Guildford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What proportion of basic skills qualifications achieved in (a) 2003–04, and (b) 2004–05 were completed by young people as part of (i) GCSEs, and (ii) key skills.

Lord Adonis: The final 2004 and provisional 2005 results are given in the table below.
	
		Number and proportion of 15 year-old pupils1 achieving a basic skills qualification2 who also achieved a GCSE or a key skills qualification2 in 2004 and 20053
		
			  2004   2005 
			 Pupils achieving4 Number Percentage Number Percentage 
			 Basic skills and GCSE 162 53 4,301 86 
			 Basic skills and key skills 5 2 81 2 
			 Basic skills, but no GCSE or key skills 140 46 632 13 
			 Total 307 100 5,014 100  
		
	
	1 Pupils aged 15 at the beginning of the academic year (i.e. 31 August).
	2 Figures include achievements at both level 1 and level 2 for basic skills and key skills.
	3 Figures for 2005 are provisional; figures for 2004 are final.
	4 Figures are available for achievements, but not attempts, in basic skills and key skills.

Birds

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What regulations have been made by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Margaret Beckett, under Section 7(2)(b) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in each year since 1981.

Lord Bach: The two regulation amendments specifically affecting Section 7(2)(b) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 since it came into force are Statutory Instrument 1982 No. 1221, Registration and Ringing of Certain Captive Birds Regulations 1982 and Statutory Instrument 1994 No. 1152, Registration and Ringing of Certain Captive Birds (Amendment) Regulations 1994.

Ghana: Justice Sector Development Programme

Baroness Stern: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress has been made in the justice sector development programme, funded by the Department for International Development in Ghana.

Baroness Amos: DfID agreed to provide £1,486,000 towards the Ghana Government's justice sector development programme (JSDP) in July 2003. A cross-government steering committee was established to provide advice to a programme secretariat on allocating funds in line with government priorities. However, after 24 months and several attempts by DfID to kick-start the programme, less than 1 per cent. of programme funds had been disbursed. DfID therefore decided to close the JSDP in July 2005 and re-allocate the expenditure to other governance priorities in Ghana, such as public financial management and public service reform.
	DfID will shortly undertake a review of our Ghana country assistance strategy. We remain open to supporting Ghana's justice sector priorities if asked to do so in the future, preferably working with another donor already involved in the sector.

Gypsies and Travellers: Housing Needs

Baroness Whitaker: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which parts of their consultative document, Planning for Housing Provision, refer to the housing needs of Gypsies and Travellers.

Baroness Andrews: Planning for Housing Provision consulted on proposed changes to Planning Policy Guidance Note 3. It proposed a new approach to land allocation in plans to provide for an appropriate level of housing supply to better meet the needs of the whole community. Those principles apply to housing for everyone.

High Hedges

Baroness Gardner of Parkes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's guidelines on the high hedges legislation reflect the substance of the debates in Parliament on the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003; and whether the guidelines may inhibit the implementation of that Act.

Baroness Andrews: The guidance published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, in High Hedges Complaints: Prevention and Cure, reflects the substance of the high hedges legislation in Part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003. Government guidance cannot impose restrictions above and beyond those set out in legislation.
	The Government are aware of concerns that the problems identified in a complaint may not be fully remedied because of advice in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's guidance that councils should not specify remedial works to a hedge which would result in its death or destruction. This constraint arises from Section 69(3) of the 2003 Act, which states that the action specified in a remedial notice cannot involve removal of a hedge. In the Government's view, action that would kill a hedge amounts to the same as removing it altogether. This is about striking an appropriate balance between the rights of the hedge owner and those of the complainant.

Indian Citizenship

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What reasons the Home Office has for assuming that the letter of the under-secretary of the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (ref: 26030/20/2005-IC-I) on 2 March misrepresents the applicant's status under Indian nationality law (ref: EM00472).

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We have made no such assumption. However, as I explained in my Written Answer of 26 October (WA 185–6), the Director for Immigration and Citizenship of the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs conceded at his meeting of 5 August with Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials that some members of the public might have been given incorrect information in respect of Indian citizenship law and advised that we should await a ruling by the Indian Ministry of Law and Justice.

Indian Citizenship

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 25 October (WA 169) on Indian citizenship law, whether a distinction was made in seeking the clarifications between British national minors who acquired their British nationality by birth and those who acquired it after applying for registration.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Yes. The request for clarification to which I referred in my Written Answer of 26 October (WA 183–4) was made by means of a Note Verbale, ref. CH342/05, sent on 20 April 2005. A copy of the Note Verbale has been placed in the Library.

Indian Citizenship

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 26 October (WA 183), whether they will publish in the Official Report Sections 1 and 2 of the guidance of the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs; and whether they will explain what additional clarification they require before they update paragraphs 3 and 4 of annexe H to chapter 14 of the Home Office Nationality Instructions.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We do not propose to publish Sections 1 and 2 of the guidance of the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs in the Official Report. It is not appropriate for guidance issued by other governments to be included in the Official Report of proceedings of this House. The guidance is already freely accessible via the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs website at www.mha.nic.in/citizenship/acquisition.htm. The additional clarification that is needed prior to updating paragraphs 3 and 4 of the annexe H to chapter 14 of the Home Office Nationality Instructions relates to the status, under Indian citizenship law, of a child born outside India to an Indian parent prior to registration with the relevant Indian authorities. Question eight of the Note Verbale sent to the Indian authorities on 20 April 2005, ref. CH342/05, refers. A copy of the Note Verbale has been placed in the Library.

Information Security: Department of Trade and Industry

Lord Harris of Haringey: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which Minister has responsibility for information security in the Department of Trade and Industry.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Minister responsible for information security in the Department of Trade and Industry is Barry Gardiner.

Licensed Trade and Alcohol Industry: Ministerial Meetings

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	On what occasions Ministers from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have met representatives of the licensed trade or the alcohol industry since 1 January; and in each case who the participants were; which organisations they represented; and what was the purpose of the meeting.

Lord Davies of Oldham: Ministers from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have held a number of meetings with representatives of the licensed trade and alcohol industry from 1 January to date. I have included the details of the meetings below and where possible those who participated and the organisation that was represented.
	With regard to the purpose of the meetings, I can confirm that during the implementation of the Act an important part of the process has been for the DCMS to meet stakeholders to ensure that their views are being taken into account and actioned, where appropriate, pending the second appointed day.
	Details of meeting
	On 13 January the Minister for Sport (Richard Caborn) met the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions regarding Licensing. The participants are not listed.
	On the 9 March the Minister for Sport met Rob Hayward of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) to discuss licensing issues but a list of participants is not available.
	On 17 May the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism (James Purnell) met Brigid Simmonds of the Tourism Alliance.
	On 23 May the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism chaired the high-level licensing group, which included, among others, the following representatives: Rob Hayward (BBPA), Mike Bramley (Mitchell and Butler), Paul Kinsey (Nexum Leisure), Brigid Simmonds (Tourism Alliance/CCPR), Andrew Opie (BRC).
	On 25 May the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism met Rob Hayward and Ted Tuppin, the chief executive and the chairman of BBPA.
	On 27 the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism chaired the high-level licensing group, which included, among others, the following representatives: Rob Hayward (BBPA), Mike Bramley (Mitchell and Butler), Paul Kinsey (Nexum Leisure), Brigid Simmonds (Tourism Alliance/CCPR) and Kevin Hawkins (BRC).
	On 7 July the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism attended a luncheon with the British Hospitality Association, but a list of attendees is not available.
	On 18 July the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism met Nick Dobson, a representative of wine retailers.
	On 20 July the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism had a breakfast meeting with the Tourism Alliance.
	On 8 August the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism chaired the high-level licensing group, which included, among others, the following representatives: Mike Bramley (Mitchell and Butler), Sylvia Brown (ACRE), Kevin Hawkins (British Retail Consortium), Rob Hayward (BBPA), and Paul Kinsey (Nexum Leisure).
	On 5 September the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism chaired the high-level licensing group which included, among others, the following representatives: Mike Bramley (Mitchell and Butler), Kevin Hawkins (British Retail Consortium), Rob Hayward (BBPA), and Paul Kinsey (Nexum Leisure).
	On 7 September the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism met John Walker of the Federation of Small Businesses.
	On 13 October the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism chaired the high-level licensing group, which included the following representatives: Mike Bramley (Mitchell and Butler), Kevin Hawkins (British Retail Consortium), Rob Hayward (BBPA), and Paul Kinsey (Nexum Leisure).
	On 3 November the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism attended the publican conference. A list of participants is not available.

Licensing Advisory Group

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Who are the members of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's steering group; and what organisations each of them represent.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The DCMS licensing advisory group comprises representatives of the following organisations.
	Alcohol Concern Arts Council Association of Chief Police Officers Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers Association of London Government British Beer and Pub Association Bar, Entertainment and Dance Association British Institute of Innkeeping British Marine Federation British Retail Consortium Business in Sport and Leisure Cinema Exhibitors Association Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Committee of Registered Clubs Associations Editor of Paterson's Licensing Acts Federation of Licensed Victuallers Association Guild of Master Victuallers Justices' Clerks' Society Licensed Victuallers of Wales Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS) Local Government Association Magistrates' Association Musicians Union National Parliamentary Committee of the Licensed Victuallers Associations Restaurant Association Society of London Theatre Theatrical Management Association
	As the advisory group comprises organisations not individuals, representation at each meeting varies.

Manchester Airport: Security Measures

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have introduced extra security measures for air passengers travelling from Manchester airport to any part of Ireland; if so, for what reason; at what cost; and whether the Police Service of Northern Ireland special branch is involved in this matter.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Her Majesty's Government have not introduced extra security measures at Manchester airport for passengers travelling to Ireland.

Manslaughter

Lord Monson: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many individuals have been convicted of manslaughter in England and Wales in consequence of fatalities involving (a) trains; (b) boats and ships; and (c) aircraft in each of the past 20 years; and what penalties were imposed.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The homicide database does not identify cases involving trains, boats, ships and aircraft. The available information for those convicted of common law manslaughter with penalties is provided for those cases where the relationship of the victim to the suspect was (i) a commercial, business or professional relationship, where the suspect killed a customer in the course of carrying out their occupation; or (ii) as a stranger (other than a terrorist or contract killing).

Metropolitan Police: Arts and Antiques Unit

Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the current strength of the Art and Antiques Unit at Scotland Yard; and whether they and the enforcement steering group consider that it has the resources to counter effectively the illicit traffic in antiquities.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Metropolitan Police's Art and Antiques Unit consists of one detective sergeant, three detective constables and two support staff. The unit is responsible for the collation and dissemination of intelligence pertaining to crime involving art and other cultural items. The intelligence is usually passed on to others to respond to, rather than being dealt with directly by the unit. There are also due diligence officers in many forces whose role it is to deal with the theft of art and antiques. It is not, therefore, just the resources of the Arts and Antiques Unit that are used to counter the illicit trade in cultural items. The role of the enforcement steering group—a group led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and made up of representatives from relevant government departments and enforcement agencies—is to develop a more structured approach to tackling the illicit trade in cultural property. Resourcing the implementation of that approach remains a matter for the police.

NHS Pension Scheme

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Warner on 9 November (WA 84), whether any increases in the costs of providing pensions to staff who leave accrued pensions rights in the NHS Pension Scheme and which arise after the staff transfer out of the National Health Service are borne by (a) all National Health Service employers; (b) the Government direct; or (c) the National Health Service organisation from which the relevant staff have transferred.

Lord Warner: Where a member of staff leaves the National Health Service and opts to defer their pension until their retirement age, they will have their pension increased on an annual basis to reflect cost of living increases. Cost of living increases are borne by all National Health Service employers (as part of the 14 per cent. contribution by NHS employers to the funding of the scheme).

NHS: Capital Incentive Payments

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many primary care trusts are unable, within the rules governing the allocation of the "Choose and Book" capital incentive scheme moneys, to use them to provide incentives to primary care; and what estimate the Government have made of the impact of this on clinical management, and the roll-out and uptake of the "Choose and Book" system in primary care; and
	Whether they will clarify the rules regarding the use of capital incentive payments to make it easier to provide incentives to general practices.

Lord Warner: On 19 January 2005, the Department of Health announced a capital incentive scheme to reward primary care trusts (PCTs) for progress in implementing the "Choose and Book" system (C&B) and preparing for choice at referral. Subject to the usual rules relating to the use of capital moneys, PCTs are free to decide how best to use this incentive money. Guidance on the use of capital is available at www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/finman.nsf.
	Since the incentive scheme was introduced, over 31,000 electronic bookings have been made using the C&B system, and the booking rate is up to 5,000 a week and growing rapidly. More than 28,000 general practitioners (GPs) are registered to use C&B.
	In terms of choice at referral, nearly all PCTs (99.7 per cent) report that they have plans in place to offer it from January, and 92 per cent. of hospital trusts have described the services that they provide to enable PCTs to determine what to commission on behalf of their GPs. In addition, awareness among GPs of the need to offer patients a choice of at least four providers has increased considerably.

NHS: Financial Diagnostic Tools

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the financial diagnostic tools referred to in the Written Statement by the Lord Warner on 7 November (WS 45).

Lord Warner: A copy of the Whole Health Community diagnostic tool has been placed in the Library.

Powers of Entry

Lord Selsdon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In what circumstances officials of the Home Office and of public bodies answerable to the Secretary of State for the Home Department can search and enter the homes or business premises of United Kingdom citizens; and, in each case, what is the statutory authority for that power.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: A record of all powers of entry is not maintained centrally. In July 1983 the Prime Minister agreed that the Home Office, together with the then Scottish Home and Health Department and Northern Ireland Office should take responsibility for scrutinising proposals to create or re-enact powers of entry within their home jurisdiction. Any new proposed power of entry is required to be submitted to the respective home department for consideration. Appendix A to the Guide to Legislative Procedure published by the Cabinet Office in June 2001 sets out the criteria for scrutiny of powers of entry. That guidance applies to both public and private legislation for which departments are responsible, including subordinate legislation. In England and Wales, those exercising a power of entry must have regard to Code of Practice B issued under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 in addition to any requirements set out in the primary legislation granting the power.

Prisoners: Licence Conditions

Baroness Buscombe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many prisoners are currently in prisons for breach of their licence conditions.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The total prison population of England and Wales who were recalled from licence was 4,095 at week ending 11 November 2005, as recorded on the central Prison Service IT system. As at 31 October 2005, Scotland had 393 prisoners either recalled from licence or recalled under Section 17 of the Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993. Northern Ireland had 17 prisoners who were recalled either from life licence or other licences under the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 as at 14 November 2005.

Prisoners: Mental Health

Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Prison Service expects that local National Health Service mental health trusts will provide the relevant services to meet the mental health needs of people held in custody; and
	Who is responsible for responding to the mental health needs of prisoners and for providing treatment.

Lord Warner: Primary care trust responsibility for commissioning healthcare services for the public prisons in England started in April 2004 and will be complete by April 2006. The trusts may commission mental health services from a range of providers, chief of which are the mental health trusts. Primary care trusts and prisons collaborate to determine need. Arrangements for the provision of healthcare, including mental health care, in the contracted prisons are made through appropriate commissioning arrangements. Primary care trusts were allocated funding for mental health in-reach teams in the public and contracted sector prisons.

Prisoners: Mental Health

Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What percentage of the ethnic minority prison population have some form of mental health needs.

Lord Warner: In 1997, the Office for National Statistics undertook a survey of mental ill health in the prison population of England and Wales. The report of that survey, Psychiatric morbidity amongst prisoners in England and Wales (1998), a copy of which is available in the Library, included a range of information on the prevalence of specific mental health problems in black and minority ethnic prisoners.

Road Traffic Accidents: Alcohol

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many alcohol-related (a) road accidents and (b) deaths in Wales there were in 1950; 1960; 1970; 1980; 1990; 1995; 2000; and 2003.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The estimated number of personal injury road traffic accidents involving illegal alcohol levels, and the estimated number of resultant fatalities in Wales for the years 1979 to 2003, are shown in the table. The total number of fatalities resulting from road accidents in Wales for these years is also shown.
	
		
			  Estimated number of personal injury road traffic accidents involving illegal alcohol levels in Wales Estimated number of fatalities resulting from alcohol-related road accidents in Wales Number of fatalities resulting from all road accidents in Wales 
			 1979 960 80 314 
			 1980 910 70 268 
			 1981 810 80 275 
			 1982 900 50 300 
			 1983 970 60 245 
			 1984 880 60 250 
			 1985 890 40 245 
			 1986 900 40 235 
			 1987 870 50 220 
			 1988 740 40 226 
			 1989 770 50 231 
			 1990 730 30 244 
			 1991 640 50 227 
			 1992 660 40 220 
			 1993 580 30 187 
			 1994 550 30 210 
			 1995 540 30 218 
			 1996 640 40 216 
			 1997 610 30 221 
			 1998 510 30 202 
			 1999 590 20 192 
			 2000 680 20 168 
			 2001 650 50 187 
			 2002 750 30 147 
			 2003 640 40 173 
		
	
	The information requested is not available for years prior to 1979.

Schools: Admissions

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, under new proposals for education in England, secondary schools will be able to determine their own admissions policy.

Lord Adonis: Foundation and voluntary aided schools are currently able to set their own admission arrangements. The proposals in the schools White Paper will make it easier for schools to acquire foundation status and will enable all schools to become self-governing trust schools. Trust schools will be able to set their own admission arrangements, but like foundation and voluntary aided schools, must comply with admissions legislation and have regard to the school admissions code of practice. The schools adjudicator will continue to consider objections about arrangements that fail to have regard to the advice given in the code or that do not work in the interests of local parents and children. Where such objections are upheld, the decisions are binding.

Social Housing

Lord Dubs: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What proportion of social housing built in London in each of the past eight years has three or more bedrooms.

Baroness Andrews: Information is readily available only for 2004–05, in which year the proportion of registered social landlord completions of homes of three or more bedrooms for social renting funded with Housing Corporation grant was 32 per cent. Information for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

St Helena

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	(a) When they expect to publish the results of the tourism strategy report for St Helena; (b) what is the planned timescale for developing the island's tourism potential before the completion of the new airport; and (c) when they expect to appoint a project manager to oversee construction of the airport.

Baroness Amos: Consultants engaged to update St Helena's tourism strategy visited the island during September and October this year. Their final report will be published once a tourism strategy has been agreed by the St Helena Government. That is likely to be in the first half of 2006.
	The pace at which new tourism facilities can be developed will largely be dictated by the private sector, and both the St Helena Government and DfID are aware of the lead times that are required. However, it is important that policy guides investment and that St Helena learns from the good practice elsewhere. DfID is therefore supporting the development of an appropriate investment policy for St Helena that will be attractive to potential investors and safeguard the island's interests. We expect it to be in place in the first half of 2006, allowing St Helena to enter negotiations with potential investors.
	DfID aims to establish a project management unit on St Helena in mid-2006. In the mean time, DfID has appointed a project manager in its overseas territories department, supported by the full-time access manager in St Helena and appropriate technical assistance, to take forward the procurement phase of the project.

Terrorism Act 2000

Lord Morris of Aberavon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether powers of arrest under the Terrorism Act 2000 are being properly exercised.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We are continually reviewing the powers in the Act. They are thoroughly reviewed by an independent reviewer, currently Lord Carlile of Berriew QC, to ensure that they are necessary, proportionate and used appropriately by the police.
	Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 gives the police power to arrest anyone reasonably suspected of being a terrorist or having committed certain offences under the Act. The decision to arrest a person under the Act may be the result of an intelligence-led operation or the result of an officer's judgment in circumstances where he feels an arrest is appropriate.
	Statistics on arrests made under the Terrorism Act are published on the Home Office website. Many offences relating to terrorist activity, such as explosives, firearms or fraud offences, are dealt with under general criminal legislation. Therefore, not all individuals arrested under the Terrorism Act will necessarily be charged with offences under terrorism legislation. Under the Act, the Secretary of State is required to place a report on the operation of the whole Act before Parliament at least once every 12 months. The use of police powers is an operational matter for chief constables. We have always maintained that counter-terrorism powers need to be used sensitively, and it is particularly important that chief constables are able to demonstrate that they are exercised fairly and proportionately.

Terrorism Act 2000: Labour Party Conference

Lord Morris of Aberavon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many arrests were made at the time of the recent Labour Party conference in Brighton under the Terrorism Act 2000; and whether the Home Secretary is satisfied that the discretion to use the powers under Sections 54 and 45 of the Act were properly exercised.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The only detention power exercised under anti-terrorism legislation at any of the party conferences was the power to detain a person while conducting a search authorised by Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000. The power to detain a person under this provision relates only to the amount of time reasonably required to conduct a search. Numbers of stops and searches under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 are not collected centrally below police force area level. The use of the power is an operational matter for the force concerned. The powers help to deter and disrupt terrorist activity by creating a hostile environment for terrorists to operate in. Law enforcement agencies must have appropriate powers available to them, and they must be used properly, fairly and consistently. We are working with stakeholders with a view to producing nationally agreed guidance for forces on the use of Section 44 stop and search powers.

Uganda and Mozambique: Poverty Reduction

The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assistance they have given to civil society groups monitoring poverty reduction plans and debt relief in (a) Uganda; and (b) Mozambique.

Baroness Amos: The UK Government support civil society in Uganda through a civil society umbrella programme (CSUP), which has been in place since 1999. The programme enables civil society organisations (CSOs) to monitor the implementation of Uganda's poverty eradication action plan and to represent the interests of poor people in policy-making debates. Some of the organisations that benefit from that support, such as the Uganda Debt Network, focus on debt issues. In total, the CSUP has so far provided nearly £4 million of assistance to a wide range of CSOs. A new phase was agreed in 2003 that will provide additional support through to 2008.
	In Mozambique, the UK Government have been helping civil society to explore how it can engage in poverty monitoring and other policy processes since 2001. DfID has recently committed £190,000 over two years to support the largest civil society network, the G20, to improve civil society's contribution to the development and monitoring of Mozambique's poverty reduction strategy. Specific objectives of the project include increasing the capacity of the G20 to engage in ongoing dialogue on poverty issues with the Government of Mozambique and improving the quality of civil society's contribution to the annual reports on poverty that inform the poverty reduction strategy. The Debt Group, a non-government organisation that monitors the impact of debt relief in Mozambique, is a prominent member of the G20.

United Nations Relief and Works Agency: British Contribution

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the total British contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in the current financial year, both direct and via the Department for International Development.

Baroness Amos: The United Kingdom currently provides all of its funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) through the Department for International Development. To date, DfID had spent £13.37 million of the £15 million funding commitment allocated to UNRWA in 2005–06. That expenditure includes a £13 million core funding contribution; £200,000 to help improve UNRWA's refugee records; and approximately £164,000 to support the effective management of the UNRWA education system.

United Nations Relief and Works Agency: Palestine

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What has been the effect of Israel's withdrawal from Gaza on the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the territory, in particular on its health, education and sanitation services; and what is being done to co-ordinate the schools run by UNRWA with those maintained by the Palestinian Authority.

Baroness Amos: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has maintained its provision of health, education and sanitation services during and since Israel's withdrawal from Gaza. Withdrawal has had no significant immediate impact on UNRWA's work or on the socio-economic conditions faced by the refugees. UNRWA has been working with the quartet special envoy for disengagement, James Wolfensohn, and has focused on addressing the immediate needs of refugees through job creation programmes. It has released plans for improving education and upgrading primary health and environmental infrastructure over the next three years.
	UNRWA co-ordinates with the Palestinian Authority (PA) on education issues, and UNRWA schools follow the PA national curriculum. In some areas, refugees attend schools maintained by the PA, and in others, non-refugees attend schools run by UNRWA. The international community recognises the importance of co-ordination between UNRWA and the PA. Mr Wolfensohn recently facilitated a meeting between both sides on co-ordinating their medium-term plans. DfID supports both sides in moving towards greater strategic co-ordination.